Yanks keeping tabs on Pirela at Triple-A

BOSTON -- As they prepare to begin the second month of the season, the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Jose Pirela's progress on a Minor League rehabilitation assignment, as well as the advances of their rehabbing players at the team complex in Tampa, Fla.

Pirela, the Yankees' No. 24 prospect, has joined Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a walk against Charlotte on Thursday. He was a candidate to join the big league team earlier this week, but Masahiro Tanaka's injury allowed the Yankees to recall infielder Gregorio Petit from Triple-A instead.

Returning from a concussion sustained by colliding with the center-field wall during a March 22 Spring Training game, Pirela is just 2-for-18 in the Minors.

Video: NYY@NYM: Pirela exits the game after injury in center

"I think he is doing better," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's something that we have discussed about what we might possibly do with him or not do with him, but obviously I think at-bats are important. He was out a month. You've got to get him some at-bats and some real game situations playing different positions."

Girardi said that infielder Brendan Ryan (right calf strain) batted in an extended spring training game on Friday in Tampa, where the Yankees have scheduled left-hander Chris Capuano (right quadriceps strain) to throw four innings or 60 pitches on Saturday for Class A Advanced Tampa.

"Everything that he's doing is going in the right direction," Girardi said. "You think about 60, 75, 90 [pitches] and then you go from there."

Right-hander Ivan Nova (Tommy John surgery rehab) will throw one inning or 20 pitches in an intrasquad game. Right-hander Jared Burton (oblique) is also scheduled to throw an intrasquad inning.